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In today’s market, there are a lot of available choices for the modern watch connoisseur. From simple wrist watches, to divers watch, to smart watches, to tactical watches – the possibilities are almost endless. With that, the good news is there are plenty of watches available at an affordable price.
To decide which one is right for you, you just have to take into consideration your intended use of the time piece you are looking for. However, even if you know the purpose of the watch you are looking for, it can be hard to make a specific choice since two or more type will easily fit the bill but may have different features.
For a normal day to day wrist watch that is intended for work, school, or a simple leisurely walk in the park, one of the most popular choice is that of the military style watch. Typically, they are durable in construction, multi-functional, versatile, and have an overall rugged charisma which seems to say you are “battle ready” for any sudden activity or opportunity that might come your way.
But with the wide selection available in the military watch market today, here are a some features you should consider when choosing the right one:
Functions:
For me, this is the first and utmost consideration when choosing your watch. What functions / features are you looking for in a wristwatch? Are you going to use it as a stopwatch, planning on traveling a lot so you need one with different time zones? Would you want one which illuminates automatically in the dark, or one that has a programmable back light? What about altitude reading or waterproof depth?
Power:
We’re talking about the watch’s power supply. The more classic ones are “self-winding” watches, which would require the user to wind their watch every once in awhile to keep it ticking. The second types are those that run on batteries. Some brands offer theirs with a 5 year battery lifespan upon purchase. The third ones are solar powered watches which only requires a few minutes of sun exposure for a whole week’s worth of power, which is very eco-friendly since it negates the use of replacement cell batteries.
Analog or Digital:
This comes down to your personal preference. A more traditional or formal user might prefer the analog watch with “hands” for the hour, minute, and seconds since its classic designs compliments most formal attires. The digital ones are the popular choice of the “on-the-go” user. These watches are also the ones which are loaded with various features/functions. Today, there are hybrids out there that combine the best of both worlds.
Style:
Again, style comes down your personal preference taking into consideration the way the watch is designed. Would you prefer an analog watch whose design follows that of an early WWII issued aviation timepiece? Or you would prefer one that looks like a part of Batman’s utility kit? Take into consideration whether you are aiming to use your watch on a more formal occasion, or will you use it as your everyday jogging accessory.
With these things in mind, just remember that you don’t have to shell out a lot of money to get the best watch that suits if you know the specifics of what you are looking for.
Here are 10 of the best military watches under 200
1. Suunto Core All Black Classic
Suunto has always been one of the leading tactical watch companies in terms of all terrain and navigation. Their sleek looking, functional yet rugged style has attracted various enthusiasts; from divers, hikers, climbers, and all forms of adventure oriented people. With more than 500 employees and nearly 60 countries in its product distribution list, Suunto continuously focuses on its strong points in developing their top of the line watches. The “Core” is Suunto’s testament to their promise of continuous product innovation.
It’s ideal for any activity that requires your constant knowledge of sudden changes in weather condition. Its Intelligent Storm Alarm (one of its most notable feature) keeps you secure by analyzing any drop in air pressure.
The altimeter is useful especially if you are into hiking or biking, since it monitors and tracks your current elevation for analysis later.
The barometer gives you inkling as to whether or not you should bring your rain gear, or when to withdraw if it gets too critical.
Its reading is accurate up to 30 feet below sea level. There’s also a built in thermometer, and a compass to complete its “full outdoor functionality”.
Other feature includes the backlight function, alarm, stop watch, calendar and dual time functionality.
It weighs 2.26 ounces, and carries a 2 year warranty. Truly an outdoor man’s multi-function tool right at your wrist.
2. Casio G-Shock Classic Black and Gold GA110GB-1A
There is no better watch brand that immediately brings you back to your childhood days other than Casio. More than 60 years since its establishment in 1946, Casio has been one of the lead players in terms of innovative digital watch making.
The G-Shock has been Casio’s latest addition in their ever growing line of rugged wrist watches. The GA-110GB-1A is particularly one of their “crème de la crème” in the G-Shock line. Its combination of analog and digital feature complimented by the black and gold colour theme truly made this watch a head turner.
Its case diameter is 5.1 cm and the material is made of resin which makes it very durable. It weighs only 6.40 ounces which makes it ideal for running and other sports or leisure activity.
Some of its special features are; dual-time-display, chronograph, stop watch, back light, and world time.
It is water resistant and is rated at 200 meters which means that you can actually wear this watch while you swim!
All in all, this watch is a blend of sophistication and functionality with great bang for your buck price tag. A timepiece that will stand up to your every need and match your get up for any occasion. This product is equipped with a two year warranty through Amazon via Asurion.
3. Timex Expedition Military Field Watch
Elegance meets affordability. Timex has been known to create their watches with the budget conscious consumers in mind. And in this line of thinking, the “Expedition” was born.
Looking at its rugged physique, one can distinctly remember the gone by days of the World War II aviation era. This watch certainly gives the wearer “freedom of movement” with its weight of merely 2.24 ounces and built with every durable material that is sure to cope with the demanding lifestyle of any active individual.
The wristband is made of durable nylon, which is sure to withstand even the toughest weather conditions, not to mention it’s a breeze to clean if it gets dirty.
It is also equipped with an indiglo backlight which is very luminescent especially if you are planning on trekking at night.
Its dial window material is mineral which is one of the hardest materials that can be used so as to minimize surface scratch. The chassis is made of stainless steel removing the possibility of metal corrosion especially if the wearer is acidic.
Powered by high quality quartz movement and with a rating of 100 meters (330 feet), this watch will easily fit in the arsenal of any person who is always “on the go”.
4. Gosasa Tritium Navy SEAL Stainless Steel Military Watch
Let there be light! These words sums up Gosasa’s latest “Carnival” watch which promises to “light up” continuously for 25 years via its Tritium light!
It is made of high carbon steel chassis, with a case diameter of 44mm and a thickness of 13 mm. And the band width is 2.4 cm (you might want to check the length of each bracelet which has a maximum circumference of 23 cm and a minimum of 17 cm).
Living up to its name, the Carnival has been given the rating of 200 meters and is waterproof so it is safe if you intend on swimming or diving with this.
The window is made of synthetic sapphire glass which is one of the most “scratch resistant” crystals out there because of its high density. Its luminescent quality is so bright that most users have devised a way to “cover” the face of the watch.
The great part with this watch is its money back guarantee of 30 days for any issue, 12 month warranty for issues which is quality related, and 24 months maintenance warranty for quality related issues.
So if you are on the look out of a functional and stylish yet reasonably priced watch, the Carnival will surely “shed light” and give you a bang for the buck rime piece that you or your loved one is sure to enjoy.
5. MARATHON WW194009SG Swiss Military Field Army Watch with MaraGlo
If you are looking for a military grade watch which reflects the craftsmanship and durability of watches that were made in the WWII era, then the Field Army Watch from Marathon will surely find a place in your collection.
As it is intended for field army use and is supplied to the government, this watch has a simple yet functional appearance. The analog movement displays both a 12 hour and 24 hour time format.
The Fibershell hard impact chassis built to withstand the rough day to day activities of a military man. The dual window type material is acrylic and the case material is made of resin with a diameter of 34 mm.
The watch band material is nylon, which is very comfortable that users tend to momentarily forget that they are actually wearing a watch. If if ever the strap gets dirty, once can easily clean it simply by washing it with hand soap or detergent.
It is water resistant rated at 102 feet.
One of its advantages over other military watches is the material used for illumination. The proprietary version of Superluminova, or Maraglo, is used by Marathon for this watch. Unlike the brightness of Tritium which slightly fades over time, Maraglo remains true to its luminous characteristics the day you bought the watch.
Equipped with high torque Swiss quartz with EOL (end of life) battery indicator, you are assured of accuracy and precision in its movement. A work of military precision at a fracture of the cost. This product is provided a limited two year warranty by Marathon.
6. BUREI Men’s Date Luminous Military Watch with Interchangeable Canvas Band
Burei is one of the youngest watch companies to enter the arena of time piece giants, but this doesn’t mean that they are any less progressive. With the weight of today’s competition, the young company has focused on creating classic watches, infusing in them modern technology. They plan to achieve their foothold on the industry by using only top of the line raw materials and focusing on developing their products continuously.
Running with this concept is their latest military inspired men’s watch. Having a round stainless steel chassis complimented with a leather arm band, Burei made sure that this watch would have the natural feel of a classic watch and will go well with any attire.
Its case material is stainless steel, utilizing mineral for its dual window display. The band material is calfskin leather which is one of the best available leather in the market.
It has an analog display employing quartz movement.
This watch is scratch resistant, shock resistant, and water resistant rated at 165 feet.
Burei is so sure of their product that they offer a 12 month warranty period for either a replacement or full refund of their product should there be any problem with the quality of their watch. With this type of upbeat customer service together with their commitment of continuous product innovation, it is no wonder that Burei is quickly rising up the echelon as one of the fast rising star of today’s modern watch industry. This product is equipped with a two year warranty by Amazon via Asurion instead of its manufacturer.
7. Traser H3 Military P 5900 Type 3 Mens Rubber Watch
“Less is more”. This is the running principle of Traser when they released their H3 military watch.
The watch itself has a very conservative look to it – analog display; simplistic black theme which is complimented by a rubber bracelet gives the impression of durability and functionality that one will look for in a military grade watch.
Being Swiss made, precision is expected from the P 5900. The watch is equipped with a Ronda 505 movement.
The window type material is mineral, and the case diameter is 40 mm.
Tritium is used to illuminate the hands of the watch as markers.
One of the key features on this watch is that of being waterproof, rated at 30 meters.
This is also equipped with black illumination. Present in this watch is the standard 12 / 24 time denomination in its face display.
True to its designated military function, the P 5900 is plain, simple, lightweight watch equipped with only the essential functions. All the simplistic requirements that deemed a military watch more desirable for its straightforward timekeeping functions can be found in the P 5900, and is what one would expect from a Navy Seals timepiece.
8. PASOY Carnival Luminous Tritium Waterproof Military Watch
Some of the simplest designs in military watches are also the most beautiful. The Pasoy by Carnival is true to this statement.
The Pasoy employs Tritium trachea to illuminate its display at night and is warranted to continuously and efficiently give off light for 25 years.
The case diameter is 40 mm and the band width is 20 mm. The watch is water resistant, and is rated at 30 meters.
One of this watch’s strong points is it sleek black design which means that it can complement almost any wardrobe and is acceptable whether it will be a leisure or business time piece. It has a synthetic sapphire glass and with the case and wrist band material being stainless gives this watch a bit more touch of elegance while adding on to its durability and solidity of feel.
Whether you are planning to give this as a gift, or add it to you collection, the Pasoy is definitely one of the best investment one can have. Total value for money taking into consideration the entire sleek and functional product features. This product is equipped with a two year warranty through Amazon.
9. G-Shock G9000MS-1CR Military Black Resin Sport Watch
Casio had really been in the front line of product innovation in terms of their time pieces. Their G-Shock line has been in league with the top selling watches of the 21st century. And as a result of their continuous research and development, the G9000 was born.
At face value, the black robust design goes hand in hand with its digital display. It has all the basic functionality of the best G-Shock watches; Shock resistance, automatic back light, 5 programmable alarms, flash alert, hourly time signal, and a 12 / 24 hour format. Its case and strap both used resin as its material, giving it a robust yet durable exterior. It is water resistant up to 200 feet.
The case is diameter is 5.2 cm and its thickness is 16.3 mm which is a bit bigger in built than other watches, but adds more to the G-Shocks charisma.
Being true to its heritage of being a military watch, the G9000 uses a reverse LCD with red digital display which is a common setup for most digital military equipment for added stealth functionality on the field.
With its rugged, airtight exterior, it is safe to say that you will be able to bring this watch with you anywhere; hiking, swimming, running, and even in the shower.
Because of its simple design yet multi-functional orientation, it is very easy to grow into these G-Shock watches. With all the technology and craftsmanship that went into the G9000, it is one powerful time piece that is sure to withstand any use and abuse that gets thrown its way. This product is equipped with a two year warranty by Amazon via Asurion.
10. Bulova Men’s 96B230 Military Analog Display Japanese Quartz Brown Watch
Being one of the pioneers in the watch business, Bulova has always been in the threshold of being one of the top makers of wrist watches in the world. Any time piece bearing their name is automatically assumed to have passed the company’s strict product quality control, and is expected to be nothing but the best in terms of performance and durability. With this line of thinking, Bulova released their latest take in the military watch collection.
The 96B230 is simply built, yet very elegant to look at. The case diameter of 42 mm is just the perfect size for a standard wrist watch. Its case material is stainless steel and the wrist band is calfskin. It weighs a mere 22 ounces and is water resistant, rated at 330 feet.
The dual window type used is mineral, which is ideal because it minimizes the possibility of the window being scratched.
The movement installed is 262 MHz Japanese quartz in which because of the smooth rotation of the second hand, makes it look like a mechanical watch.
Because of the comfort in, most users forget that they are actually wearing the watch, and would often sleep wearing them! Classic elegance at an affordable price, it’s hard to believe that the 96B230 is below $200!
Conclusion
There you have it. Just remember that most of all, you should pick the watch that directly speaks to you. After all your watch is not just a piece of jewellery, it becomes your investment – a part of you that you will be able to pass on to your children as a part of your legacy. So choose wisely, and always let time be on your side.
